Thursday, September 2, 2010

fabric rosette tutorial extravaganza!

I have been a flower-making fool this summer. Yes, I've been teasing you with them. I've been promising tutorials for months, but honestly, I've been too busy taking special orders for them to actually get something posted! Now that the kids are back in school, I've finally found some time to make good on my word. Over the next few days I'll share tutorials for rosette bracelets, clips, headbands, pin-less corsages, and even a mini class on the very popular bib necklaces using vintage-inspired chains. There I go teasing you again. Today, we start with the basics: How to make a fabric rosette. Warning--you are going to be addicted!

Fabric Rosette Flower Tutorial

Supplies:*Fabric - I like anything from the special occasion section at the fabric store, but you can also use an old t-shirt, quilting cotton, etc.*Scissors*Fabric glue - my fave is Fabri-Tac by Beacon Adhesives. You can find it at JoAnn and other craft/fabric stores*Optional - beads or buttons, plus needle and thread

1. Cut or tear a strip of fabric 1" wide (tear it for a shabby look). The length of your strip will determine how large or small your flower is. I use about 22" long for smaller flowers, 44" inches (width of fabric) for large, and about 60" for extra large. How loosely or tightly you wrap your fabric will also determine the size.2. For the center of your rosette, tie a knot in one end of your strip.

3. Dab a little fabric glue on the knot. A little goes a long way.

4. Hold the knot with one hand and twist the strip with the other. As you twist, turn the knot, wrapping the fabric around it. Every 1/4 to 1/2 turn, dab a little more fabric glue to hold it together. (If you're not quite getting the twisting and turning thing, check out my video tutorial of a similar flower here.)

5. Continue twisting, turning, and gluing. Play around with how tightly or loosely you wrap to see what you like best.

6. When you get to the end, leave a short tail.

7. Cover the bottom of the rosette with more fabric glue, then press the tail down on it. This will ensure your rose really stays together.

8. Optional: Using a needle and clear (transparent) thread, sew beads or buttons in the middle.

Okay, raise your hand if you love these! Good. Me too. Now come back the next few days for lots of ways to use these little beauties, like in this gorgeous jewelry below. . .

One word....LOVELY!! You must be the rosette goddess. Gotta question for you. Have you ever made these rosettes with grosgrain ribbon? Would you do it the same way as the fabric? I'd love to know. Thanks!jenkied333@yahoo.com

I loved checking out all your rosette tutorials - thank you! I saw the one about the headbands, but I'm wondering what you would use for the jewelry when using to many rosettes together? Do you just glue them to felt and then cut around so they are one solid piece?

I have boxes of material I just got from my Gma. I dont sew, I dont craft, I take pictures! I cant do much with all this super old material in my photography!Rosettes I can handle! Just made one out of a leg from an old pair of purple cords. LOVE IT! Off to the store to get pearls!

I was VERY inspired by your flowers!! So inspired that I created my own blog...and my first post is a rosette headband I made for my daughter. I would LOVE it if you would stop by. THANK YOU for the tutorial!! http://jpslittleblog.blogspot.com/

LOVE these flowers, and such a clear, easy to follow tutorial! I blogged your tute, with full credits of course, so that I can share it with my followers :) http://artfulfancies.blogspot.com/2011/02/fabric-flower-tutorial-by-little-birdie.html

I love these! I made a bunch for my hair, and I also made a cupcake stand with these as decorations. I sent my bloggers here to find out how to do it. Thanks a ton! http://onecutecupcake.blogspot.com/2011/03/cupcake-tray-anyone.html is my cake tray with your rosettes. You are an inspiration! Thank you!!

You did such a good job on this. Whenever Im asked how to make rosettes instead of me explaining it I just send em your way!Your instructions are perfectly narrated along with the photos. Pat yourself on the back!

Thank you SO SO much for sharing the rosette tutorial. I have been wanting to make them so badly. I finally found your page and made my niece two rosettes on alligator clips and she LOVES them. They are so precious and now I can do them for my photography business as well!

hi there!first of all, i just want to say THANK YOU for all the informative and user friendly tutorials. my craftiness level has definitely gone up a degree or two in the last month that i found your blog :)and these fabric rosettes are the next item on my list to master. but i was also wondering if you could tell me about the headband in the bottom right picture. is there directions or a tutorial on that one that i am missing? i'd really like to make it!!thanks again!

I tried making a flower, using a different tutorial, and it was so-so. But then I found your tutorial (thanks to Pinterest!), and I LOVE how they turned out! I posted about them on my blog. The blue one and the white one are the ones I made using your tutorial. Thanks for making this easy-peasy!!

I made a headband with some rosettes made from a recycled t shirt. I linked my post to your tutorial. Check it out if you'd like. :)http://tanya-alittlebitofeverything.blogspot.com/2011/09/t-shirt-fabric-rosette-headband.html

Ahhh I love making those too!!! The ones you have look all the sweeter with the bits and pieces of fray sticking out of it!! I normally try to get mine all smooth and straight, but I think au naturel might be the way to go for some of these :D

Thanks for the tutorial!! I needed a flower to finish off a purse/bag I made and this was perfect. I actually sewed the two coordinating fabrics from the bag wrong sides together so every twist and turn of the flower would alternate the colors...turned out cute. Thanks for the help!!

That looks like a very easy and relaxing craft. I think i finally I will try it with my girls, since they have be asking about it for many weeks now...Thank you so much for this super easy-breezy tutorial :)

hi! I am Brazilian and I am passionate about ribbons. This glue you use, to fabrics tores , is instantaneous? Because the glue stick in here only 24 and are practically liquid!. What you use, seems glue E.V.A. or Styrofoam, but they are sticky. And I imagine the hot glue becomes too hard. What do you recommend?